The Human Tissue Research Center (HTRC), a JCCC Shared Resource initiated in the previous CCSG cycle, has undergone significant expansion, and now provides a broad range of tissue-related services to JCCC members. This centralized facility functions to organize and coordinate tissue procurement and processing services in a manner that is more economical, efficient, and reliable than would be available either commercially or via individual collaborative arrangements. HTRC services include procurement of high-quality, well-characterized remnant tissue from surgery/autopsy; embedding, sectioning/staining of tissues; laser-capture microdissection; immunohistochemistry; veterinary pathology; and digital imaging of histological samples. In addition, the HTRC Co-Directors and staff provide JCCC researchers with advice on tissue preparation/experimental design, pathology expertise in human cancer, and veterinary pathology services for transgenic and knockout animal models of cancer. The consultative role of the directors, together with the actual tissue services provided by the staff, cut time and resources spent by researchers on tissue samples that might otherwise be poorly characterized or improperly preserved tissue. Moreover, as a continuous and reliable source of a broad spectrum of quality-controlled diseased and normal tissue, the HTRC accelerates the transition from basic to translational research, and facilitates collaborative multidisciplinary interactions among UCLA cancer researchers. The importance of this Shared Resource in enhancing the caliber of cancer research of JCCC members is evidenced in the wide array of peer-reviewed publications, as well as funded cancer-related grants in which HTRC-related services have been an essential component.